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Spotlight on the VA

Meet Bull. If you spend time around the VA Medical Oncology Center, you may already know him. When Bull is there for treatment, he spends his time making the rounds and talking to other fighters to ensure no one is sitting alone and sad. As he explained it, he knows how important it is to laugh and he loves making others laugh and happy during a hard time. T. Teal volunteers Julie and Sarah just fell in love with his spirit, kindness, and humor. And how much he loves his wife of 54 years! What a blessing to meet and share a laugh with him this week!

T. Teal started delivering Cancer Care Packs to the VA in 2015 and has since delivered over 1,000 to veteran cancer fighters. When volunteers hand out a care pack, they always make a point to thank each fighter for their service. This October, we were fortunate to have the OKC Thunder Girls join us on a run to the VA. One cheerleader mentioned that their goal was to have fighters leave happier than when they came in. Mission accomplished!

The VA is also a key treatment center for our Gas Card and Board Designated Fund programs. Many of the fighters travel long distances to receive treatment and we have been fortunate to provide over $5,500 in direct assistance through hospital social workers to assist those in need. Often these are individuals who fall in-between the cracks of assistance offered by other services. You see pictured an example of the requests we receive. In fact, it was a Navy veteran at the VA hospital who was fighting cancer without a working washer and dryer that first inspired the Board Designated Fund program.

This summer, T. Teal was honored to receive a 2017 Outstanding Program Support Award from the VA. We are thankful for the opportunity to work with a center devoted to serving those who have served this country and look forward to continuing our partnership and support in the years to come.

If you would like to donate and help support our ongoing work with the VA and other treatments centers, click here or go to tteal.org/give.